The future of fresh local produce could include distributed farming, with more foods being grown in smaller systems right near the point of sale, instead of everything being shipped in from larger growing operations.

Distributed farming could be the next frontier in the bid to reduce the carbon footprint of fresh foods, and allow for ‘just in time’ and “smart” growing systems that produce on-demand harvests of some greens and herbs. Infarm, a Berlin-based startup, is pursuing this aim with its modular vertical farming units that are placed directly in grocery stores, where customers can pick the freshest possible veggies, greens, and herbs, with no unnecessary transport involved.